Does this mean if the King dies, Lola could take the throne?” Christina asked, as they waited in the lobby for their guests of honor. Percival looked at her in horror.
“Christina! Don't say that, it's heresy!”
“I don't want the King to die,” she specified. “I’m just asking a question.”
“She's a countess, not a Duchess,” Percival said. “Who would be the next to inherit, after the royal heirs? In addition, she's married to an Irish Earl, which puts her even farther down the line. So many people would have to perish for her to be a Queen, it isn't even worth discussing.”
“But do you think she's met the King?” Christina looked briefly starry eyed and Percival rolled his eyes.
“We've met the King,” he pointed out. “Don't you remember? He took the royal box twice now.”
“That's different,” Christina answered. “He looked at us like we were toys. But Lola is...”
“A countess who is rife with scandal, married to a controversial Earl, and whose best friend used to be a well respected Lord until he murdered a Captain.”
“Well, that doesn't make her less of a person, does it?” Christina asked.
“Of course not,” Percival said. “It's just...different. Isn't that them?”
“From their description, it could be,” Christina glanced her eyes forward as two men entered from a carriage on the street. They were dressed finely, and she would have mistaken them for Lord's themselves, instead of usurpers. “Sirs? Are you here for the private box? The new patrons?” Christina had dark hair against pale skin, and large eyes. Men often couldn't take their own eyes off her, which she used to her advantage, especially with Tannoy. He looked her up and down, and then smiled a smile that sent shivers down her spine. She felt like she needed to bathe, immediately, from under this man's slimy gaze. “A pleasure to meet you.”
“I'm Percival,” her colleague bowed lower than he should for even an Earl, showing them an honor far greater than they deserved. “Perhaps you'd like a drink before you are seated?”
“That would be nice,” Gilles said, looking around. “If we are to be patrons, we should sample the offerings.”
“Of course,” Christina said and shuddered internally as Tannoy laid eyes upon her.
“If you came to Ireland, indeed you would be the prettiest girl.”
“I'm just an understudy,” Christina replied. “Not a star. You flatter me.”
“To?”
“To the great Lola, of course,” Christina answered. “Have you heard of her?”
The men glanced to each other and smirked.
“Oh, we've heard of her.”
“She is very talented,” Christina went on innocently. “Of course, not here as much since she became a Countess.”
“But that must make room for you? And the recognition you deserve?” Tannoy was playing a game with her, and she played along.
“Well,” Christina blushed. “I do enjoy that she is gone a bit more, so I can take her lines.”
“So if she were gone all the time,” Tannoy answered. “That would make you happy? And we could see you on stage in our theater?”
“Uh,” Christina looked to Percival who gave her a slight nod. “Perhaps? But we shouldn't discuss matters that could never happen. Lola is devoted to the stage. Shall we get you that drink? And perhaps a second for the box?”
“Please,” Gilles said, and Christina led the way to the bar, ordering up two of the strongest drinks she could think of. The men were clearly flattered by the attention and were here to have a good time, and she wanted them to speak some more about their thoughts. She already had a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach about what they were planning. She wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but she feared for Lola's safety.
They had two drinks at the bar, and a third in the box.
“We would be happy to show you all the facilities of the theater you might sponsor,” Christina said, taking a seat on the far side of the box as they settled in.
“Tell me,” Gilles asked. “Do you have chorus girls?”
“Chorus girls?” her skin crawled. “Of course. Every theater has them.”
Gilles glanced to Tannoy.
“We are particularly interested in sponsoring...young artists.”
“Of course,” she wanted to slap them, but she kept a smile on her face. “Perhaps at intermission? Would that suit you?”
“Nicely,” Tannoy said, still eyeing her. “That is, if you aren't busy meeting... a suitor then.”
“Oh, I...” Christina started and then backtracked. “I have no suitor.”
“Christina often walks home alone at night,” Percival spoke up, hating that he had to play this game. “You haven't had a suitor in a long time, have you?”
“No,” she said, and stood up. If she continued this conversation, she was pretty sure she was going to slap one of them. “But I should get backstage. I'll see you both at intermission.”
“Yes, of course,” Tannoy reached to kiss her hand, and she let him, keeping that smile plastered on her face. She managed to behave until they got into the backstage hallways, and then she turned to Percival in outrage.
“Can you believe them? I think I might retch.”
“They are scum of the Earth, men with no dignity,” Percival agreed. “Lola was right to be concerned. Men like this will likely stop at nothing to get what they want. And that concerns me.”
“What do you think?” Christina asked, feeling suddenly cold.
“I think she might be in danger, especially if we don't find out exactly what they have planned. What worried me was how they asked so blatantly how you would feel if Lola was gone.”
“They weren't afraid of anyone knowing,” Christina said. “If I was planning something sinister, I'm not sure I would be so open about it.”
Percival nodded.
“That also bothers me. But for now, we have to keep up the act. Let's tell the others what we know. Don't worry, when we return to their box, you and the other girls won't be alone. I'll be there, bringing them drinks, to keep them talking.”
“They've already had three,” Christina said, with a raised eyebrow. “Are you hoping to get them drunk?”
“A drunken man's words are a sober man's thoughts,” Percival said. “And their thoughts sober are already on the tip of telling us everything. Just another hour or two, Christina.”
“So long as you don't make me walk home alone,” she shuddered and he threw an arm over her shoulders. She paused to look up at him, her eyes shining.
Then he dipped down to kiss her, gently.
“I will never let you walk alone,” he said, softly. She gazed into his eyes, her heart beating swiftly. Their romance was still new, still touch and go, but he had set her heart a flutter since the moment she had first laid eyes on him.
“An actor courting an actress,” she said softly. “I'm so glad there is nothing controversial about that.”
“Even if you were the Queen of England and I a mere peasant, I would pursue you,” he promised her.
They shared another soft kiss, and then headed backstage, to start the show. It was backstage in the wings, where they got a moment alone with Lola.
“How sinister?” Lola asked, her heart sinking.
“We'll find out,” Percival promised her. “Don't worry. Where's your pirate friend, anyways?”
“Front row,” Lola said. “We decided the best plan was him to come on stage at the end of the first act, and present me with a single rose. I'll accept it, he'll kiss my hand, and we'll head into intermission.”
“Excellent,” Percival said. “Then we will take care of the rest. Break a leg, Countess.”
“And you,” she said.
True to her word, as soon as they gathered for their first bow at intermission, Morgan rose for the audience, clapping loud and whistling. With his dread locks clinking against each other, he took the steps to the stage, presenting Lola with a single rose. A bouquet would be showing his admiration for her performance, but a single rose was for more potent. Lola held his gaze a moment too long and then dipped in gratitude. He reached his hand out to her chin, stopping her and then bowed, a loyal subject to a Countess.
Lola didn't expect the rest of her cast and then the audience to follow suit. However, they did, reminded that she was indeed nobility. It was a stark reminder of the scandal on stage. As she raised her eyes to the box, she noticed that Gilles and Tannoy did not bow.
“Go,” she hissed to Christina and Percival as the curtain came down. “Go now, while they are angry about that display.”
“Stay in your dressing room, and stay safe,” Percival warned her, and then took Christina by the hand, signaling the chorus girls to follow suit.
“Pile them with drinks,” he instructed the girls. “Maintain your dignity, but don't outright reject their advances. We are close, I can tell.”
“What if they ask...improper things?” one of the girl shuddered.
“Agree,” Percival said. “And know that the theater will protect you.”
It took several drinks at intermission, and then an invitation for the backstage party for the words to finally come out. Christina had done a fine job of pretending to drink with Tannoy, making sure that she always had a glass with the colored water they used on stage. They never left the green room, always crowded and full of noise. It was under the cover of that noise, that Tannoy, so drunk he could barely see straight, grabbed Christina's hands.
“Wouldn't you like if you were the star forever in this place?”
“Sir, I'm not sure what you mean,” she said, blushing and struggling slightly.
“I mean if I could take care of that usurper,” he said. “Would you like that?”
“How could you do that?” she asked, her heart beating wildly. He laughed.
“That's so easy. Her husband gave up his title; he shouldn't get it back whenever he wanted. I am next in line, it should be mine. And even if he shouldn't be disowned on those grounds, he married an actress. That is not fit for the rank of Countess, especially one who is clearly....conversing with others.”
“But then...why would you do that for me?” she asked, cautiously. “I am an actress.”
“I think you and I both know that marriage is not what I'm asking for tonight,” he said. She wanted to hit him.
“How would you get rid of her? She has tenure here.”
“No one can have a title or tenure if they are dead,” Tannoy laughed, throwing back another drink and Christina's blood ran cold.
“Lola?”
“Lola, her useless husband, whatever,” he said, with a drunken shrug. “That's why my friend, Gilles, found me. He knows we want the same thing.”
“Oh, is he in a similar position?” she asked.
“More complicated, but similar,” Tannoy replied. “Especially since he found out his family is in scandal. He'll have it easier, he can black mail then, he knows the Lord is still alive. They faked a death. We won't fake any death.”
“And I could be a star?” Christina asked.
“A night for a night,” Tannoy said. She smiled, rising.
“Just let me visit the powder room,” she said. “You stay here, and I'll be right back.”
“Of course,” he leaned back and she walked away at a normal pace until she was around the corner. Then, she picked her up pace, rushing to Lola's dressing room and bursting in.
“Lola!” she said, breathless. The pirate was sitting opposite her, and they appeared to be deep in conversation. “He's planning to have you killed!”
Lola grew pale.
“Me?” she asked.
“All of you,” Christina said. “They are going to kill all of you.”